Christopher Pikula is an American Magic: The Gathering player. Pikula started playing on the Pro Tour at the very first Pro Tour in New York, 1996. He attended the other two Pro Tour events that season too, failing to attend only the World Championship. Success came at the beginning of the second season, when Pikula reached consecutive Pro Tour Top 8s. In the 1997–98 season he had another Top 8 appearance, this time at the World Championship. Afterwards he reached the Top 8s of two Grand Prix events, but gradually disappeared from the pro scene.

Christopher Pikula
ResidenceNew York
NationalityAmerican
Pro Tour debut1996 Pro Tour — New York
WinningsUS$39,910[1]
Pro Tour wins (Top 8)0 (3)[2]
Grand Prix wins (Top 8)0 (5)[3]
Median Pro Tour Finish98
Lifetime Pro Points151
Planeswalker Level43 (Battlemage)

Pikula is best known for leading an anti-cheating drive during the early days of the Magic Pro Tour, when cheating was significantly more prevalent. He was ultimately successful, shifting attitudes in the community from one that largely tolerated cheating to one that is extremely anti-cheating. However, Pikula made a lot of enemies on the way and missed induction into the inaugural Magic Hall of Fame by one vote.[4]

Pikula is also known for creating the Magic card Meddling Mage, his reward for winning the 2000 Magic Invitational.[5] In the 2005 season, he had a small comeback where he reached the Top 8 of another two Grand Prix events. Pikula also made Top 8 in 2017 at GP Orlando.

Achievements

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 Season   Event type   Location  Format Date  Rank 
1996–97 Pro Tour Atlanta Sealed Deck 15–17 September 1996 7
1996–97 Pro Tour Dallas Standard 22–24 November 1996 4
1997–98 Worlds Seattle Special 12–16 August 1998 6
1998–99 Invitational Barcelona Special 4–7 February 1999 3
1998–99 Grand Prix Kansas City Extended 27–28 March 1999 2
1998–99 Grand Prix Washington D.C. Sealed and Booster Draft 19–20 June 1999 2
1999–00 Invitational Kuala Lumpur Special 2–5 March 2000 1
2000–01 Invitational Sydney Special 16–19 November 2000 6
2001–02 Invitational Cape Town Special 5–7 October 2001 6
2005 Grand Prix Chicago Team Limited 18–19 December 2004 3
2005 Grand Prix Philadelphia Legacy 12–13 November 2005 2
2016–17 Grand Prix Orlando Limited 17–18 March 2017 4

Last updated: 2 February 2010
Source: Wizards.com

References

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  1. ^ "Life Time Winnings Leaders". Wizards of the Coast. 4 April 2006. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Lifetime Pro Tour Top 8s". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2016-04-16. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
  3. ^ "Lifetime Grand Prix Top 8s". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
  4. ^ Patrick Chapin (22 December 2014). "Cheating at the Magic World Championship". Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  5. ^ Rosewater, Mark (10 May 2004). "All-Star Studded". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on June 2, 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
Preceded by Magic Invitational Champion
1999
Succeeded by